PSNI Craigavon pay emotional tribute to murdered American colleagues

PSNI Craigavon have paid an emotional tribute to their police colleagues in Dallas, Texas after five were shot dead.
Dallas Police Chief David Brown leaves the Baylor University Medical Center after a visit, Friday, July 8, 2016, in Dallas. Snipers opened fire on police officers in the heart of Dallas on Thursday night, killing some of the officers. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)Dallas Police Chief David Brown leaves the Baylor University Medical Center after a visit, Friday, July 8, 2016, in Dallas. Snipers opened fire on police officers in the heart of Dallas on Thursday night, killing some of the officers. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Dallas Police Chief David Brown leaves the Baylor University Medical Center after a visit, Friday, July 8, 2016, in Dallas. Snipers opened fire on police officers in the heart of Dallas on Thursday night, killing some of the officers. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Six other officers were wounded by gunmen during protests against the shooting of black men by police, USA authorities say.

Three people are in custody and one man who was in a stand-off with police shot himself dead, US media have reported.

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The PSNI paid its own tribute to their American colleagues who were killed or wounded.

In a statement on Facebook, they said: “Often on this page we have a bit of a laugh and a light hearted look at some of the stuff that goes on. The news from across the Atlantic we woke up to this morning however is just horrendous, and brings everything into focus.

“Regardless of where you stand on gun control, American policing, the rights and wrongs and stances that both sides have, today there are yet more families grieving due to gun violence, and that should be what is primary in all this.

“I’ve been on a ride along with some of our American colleagues. They’re great guys. Some of the most hard working and caring people you will meet.

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“I sat with a Texan born sheriff on the front step of a house as he comforted a distraught female after a domestic. He put his arm around her, promised her she would be safe, and gave her his direct line number if she ever needed help. Ten minutes later we were racing to assist with an ‘active shooter’ incident after a drug deal went wrong. By the end of the shift we had dealt with another domestic, a burglary and helped paramedics with a heroin overdose victim.

“These guys care. The idea pedalled by some that “cops don’t care about black areas” is just nonsense; straight up lies. All of those incidents above were in such areas.

“Whatever preceeded that in the two days before is tragic too, and the truth for those families should be found, but nothing can ever justify the pre meditated, blatantly planned ambush that was launched in Dallas last night.

“The thin blue line family is now 5 officers thinner, with more fighting for their lives. More importantly there are 5 families without their loved ones. Officers don’t just live in stations and do nothing else. They aren’t lone robots with no lives. They are husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, sons, daughters, mothers and fathers, and thismorning their loved ones are waking up to a massive hole in their lives.”